1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to an X-ray imaging.
2. Description of the Related Art
Cancer can be diagnosed from an X-ray image obtained by a diagnostic X-ray apparatus which transmits an X-ray through a human body and determines cancer cells from an X-ray image. In the related art X-ray apparatus, a portion of a patient's body to be imaged is positioned on or proximate to a flat panel detector (FPD). The imaging is performed by varying a distance between an X-ray radiation source and a detector, and varying radiation conditions according to the area to be imaged. To reduce the dispersion of a radiated X-ray and a patient's exposure to radiation, a collimator is arranged in front of an X-ray radiation source to control an X-ray radiation field. An X-ray is radiated from a single source, for example, a thermal negative electrode type X-ray tube, and the X-ray having passed through the patient is sensed by the FPD. The detected X-ray is converted into electrical signals, which are image-processed and output as an X-ray image. According to the above process, a two-dimensional (2D) image sheet may be obtained and read.
In a related art X-ray system using a cone beam type X-ray source and an FPD, an X-ray radiation field is controlled by adjusting a distance between the source and the detector according to an imaging range. Accordingly, a patient's exposure to radiation increases and scattering also further increases exposure to radiation and deteriorates the quality of an image. Although a line scan type detector and a dual collimator may be employed to reduce the patient's exposure to radiation, lots of time is spent to obtain an entire image of an image object. Also, an image captured by the related art X-ray system is a 2D image, and thus, there is a limitation of not knowing depth information.
Additionally, according to a related art technology for a breast X-ray, the breast of a patient is placed on a support and compressed by a compression paddle to a maximum degree, and then an image area of a compressed breast is captured.
To reduce an X-ray dose and obtain a superior image, the breast of a patient is compressed with a great force so that the breast is substantially flattened out and the thickness of the breast is substantially decreased. As a result, a patient usually feels much pain and/or discomfort during the breast mammography. Also, since the related art X-ray breast mammography is performed at least four times corresponding to a left mediolateral oblique (LMLO) view, a right mediolateral oblique (RMLO) view, a left craniocaudal (LCC) view, and a right craniocaudal (RCC) view in the same imaging session, an amount of the pain of a patient increases and the patient's radiation dose increases. Furthermore, when there are abnormality findings in an image, enlargement imaging and tomography may be additionally performed, which increases the pain and the radiation dose of a patient. Also, a workflow may be increased.